Things are finally cooling off around here...temps dropped 20 degrees yesterday, and we're enjoying some low 70's! I love this time of year...we get to open the house up, kids play outside without complaining about how hot it is...and best of all, I break out all of my casserole recipes. You know the ones...that just remind you of Fall and that lovely cooler weather!
Here is one of our favorites - I don't really have a name for it. Should we call it 'Mexican Cornbread Casserole'? or 'Southwest Cornbread Casserole'?...call it what you want. I call it hmm, hmmm, good!
This isn't an aesthetically pleasing dish, but I assure you...it is some yummy, if a bit spicy, comfort food.
Ingredients:
1 pkg - Ground Turkey - all white meat
1 red bell pepper - chopped
1 green bell pepper - chopped
1 small yellow onion - chopped
2 - chipolte peppers (chopped) + 2 Tbls Adobe sauce
1-2 tsp chopped garlic
2 Tbls oil of choice - for sauteing
1-2 Tbls cumin
15 oz can - diced tomatoes w/ green chilis
15 oz can - light red kidney beans (drained)
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
1-2 cups shredded mexican blend cheese
1 box/pkg corn bread mix
Directions:
- Pre-heat the oven to temp specified on your corn bread mix directions.
- Saute' garlic, onion, bell peppers, chipolte peppers in oil, until soft. Set aside.
- Brown the ground turkey until no longer pink. If you have any liquid, drain it off.
- Add saute items to the ground turkey, along w/ the adobe sauce, cumin, and diced tomatoes. Stir and cook over med heat for 3-4 mins.
- While that is cooking - chop the kidney beans & cilantro ( I used a food processor).
- Remove saute from heat, and fold in the chopped kidney beans, cilantro and cheese.
- Pour the mixture into a well greased casserole dish (large).
- Prepare corn bread mixture per the package instructions and then pour over the top of the turkey mixture (in casserole dish).
- Bake per the corn bread package instructions, until the corn bread is golden brown.
A couple of things, that I'd like to point out....
- I've tried this recipe with ground beef (97% lean) and it wasn't as good. I don't know why, but it was just greasier. And not in an Mmm, greasy! way....but in a Eww, greasy! way
- I've tried this recipe without chopping up the kidney beans...and I didn't like it as much. The taste was the same, but the consistency was off. I don't know...I guess I am just weird like that.
AND, if you aren't counting calories....it's even better if you eat it scooped on tortilla chips! Wowza!!
I know that I should give credit where credit is due...but I honestly can't remember where I adapted this recipe from. I know it isn't the original, because I almost never follow recipes to the T. And I've been making this for so many years now, I can't remember where I initially saw it. My apologies and my Thank You(s) to the true originator.
